Vote to help us name the fuzziest patient at the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre — and for your chance to win admission to the Vancouver Aquarium plus a Sea Otter Aquadopt kit.

On June 25, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, presented by Port Metro Vancouver, admitted a tiny male sea otter pup as a patient. The fuzzy-faced otter pup, now estimated to be about two months old, was transported to the Rescue Centre after concerned members of the public found him swimming alone in open water off northern Vancouver Island. Since his arrival, the tiny otter has received 24-hour care from staff and volunteers who feed, bathe and groom him, just as his mother would in the wild. He continues to gain weight steadily and has been growing stronger and more active. With help from the team at the Rescue Centre, the pup is now grooming himself, is exploring underwater and learning to dive.

Now it’s time to give the young patient a name. VanAqua is inviting the public to help choose from the three names below:

Hardy: The tiny male otter pup was found swimming along off northern Vancouver Island, and first taken to the District of Port Hardy for initial treatment.

Kasa: In Kwak̓wala — the language of the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw First Nations on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island — ḵ̓asa is the word for sea otter.

Masik: Also in Kwak̓wala, ma̱si’ḵw is the word for large sea urchins, one of a sea otter’s favourite meals.

Vote for your favourite of three name choices (one entry per person, and you must be 19 years or older. apply). Voting ends on July 23, 11:59 p.m. PT.

The aquarium will be randomly selecting one participant from the entries to receive a four-pack admission to the Vancouver Aquarium, plus a Sea Otter Aquadopt kit. Aquadopt kits are a unique gift that support to conserve aquatic life and help us care for our rescued sea otters.

The name and winner will be announced on the Vancouver Aquarium page, and on Twitter, @vanaqua on July 24.